The 21st National Hockey League National Hockey League All-Star Game was played in Maple Leaf Gardens on January 16, 1968, where the host Toronto Maple Leafs battled a team of all-stars from the remaining NHL teams.

Death of Bill Masterton

The game, compared to other years, was in a somber mood: two days before, Bill Masterton, a player for the Minnesota North Stars, was hit by two Oakland Seals players on the ice, causing him to lose his balance and hit his head on the ice. Masterton was pronounced dead the next day.

The death of Masterton raised an issue about the use of helmets in hockey - whether they should be mandatory, and whether they affect a player's abilities. Response was mixed in the helmet debate even in the days following Masterton's death: Gordie Howe claimed that he would not, but nevertheless encouraged the next generation of players to do so, while Bobby Hull claimed that he was in serious consideration. At one extreme, Stafford Smythe claimed that helmets should be made mandatory.

As for the game itself, only two players would wear helmets: J. C. Tremblay, who had worn a helmet all season, and Brian Conacher, as a result of Masterton's death.

On the day of the all-star game, the National Hockey League Writers' Association proposed that a trophy should be presented in Masterton's honor, and by the end of the season, the league made it a reality. The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is awarded to each year to the player who best exemplifies dedication, perseverance, and sportsmanship.

The game

The 1968 classic was also home to a notable first: because Toronto goaltender Johnny Bower was injured and could not play, he was replaced with Al Smith, their starting minor league goaltender, becoming the first player to play in the all-star game despite having not played with the Leafs the previous year.

As it turned out, this year would be the last in which the defending champions faced off against a team consisting of the "best of the rest" - NHL president Clarence Campbell hinted that the following year would be the first in which there would be an East-versus-West battle, citing that the game could be easily moved to different cities. The 21st classic would also be the last in which the teams were determined based on the previous season's First and Second All-Star Teams, a move supported by the absence of then-rookie Bobby Orr in the last year's game and the fact that the game had moved to mid-season.

As an aside, despite the somber mood, Toronto coach Punch Imlach celebrated their silver wedding anniversary the night of the All-Star Game.

Boxscore

	Toronto Maple Leafs	All-Stars
Final Score	4	3
Head Coach	Punch Imlach	Toe Blake (Montreal Canadiens)
Lineup	1 - G Al Smith 2 - D Larry Hillman 3 - D Marcel Pronovost 4 - D Duane Rupp 7 - D Tim Horton 8 - RW Ron Ellis 10 - RW George Armstrong (Captain) 11 - C Murray Oliver 12 - C Pete Stemkowski 14 - C Dave Keon 16 - C Mike Walton 18 - RW Jim Pappin 20 - LW Bob Pulford 22 - LW Brian Conacher 25 - LW Wayne Carleton 26 - D Allan Stanley 27 - LW Frank Mahovlich 30 - G Bruce Gamble	First All-Star Team: 1 - G Ed Giacomin (New York Rangers) 2 - D Pierre Pilote (Chicago Black Hawks) 3 - D Harry Howell (New York Rangers) 10 - LW Bobby Hull (Chicago Black Hawks) 17 - RW Ken Wharram (Chicago Black Hawks) 21 - C Stan Mikita (Chicago Black Hawks) Second All-Star Team: 5 - D Bobby Orr (Boston Bruins) 7 - C Norm Ullman (Detroit Red Wings) 9 - RW Gordie Howe (Detroit Red Wings) 22 - LW Don Marshall (New York Rangers) 25 - G Glenn Hall (St. Louis Blues) Other Players: 4 - C Jean Béliveau (Montreal Canadiens) 6 - D Jacques Laperrière (Montreal Canadiens) 8 - D Bobby Baun (Oakland Seals) 11 - LW Johnny Bucyk (Boston Bruins) 12 - RW Ken Schinkel (Pittsburgh Penguins) 14 - D J. C. Tremblay (Montreal Canadiens) 15 - RW Leon Rochefort (Philadelphia Flyers) 18 - LW Dave Balon (Minnesota North Stars) 24 - G Terry Sawchuk (Los Angeles Kings)
Scoring Summary	Oliver (Mahovlich, Hillman) 5:56 1st Stanley (Stemkowski, Carleton) 7:56 2nd Stemkowski (Carleton, Rupp) 16:36 2nd Ellis (Mahovlich, Hillman) 5:56 3rd	Mikita (Hull, Tremblay) 19:53 1st (shorthanded) Wharram (Mikita) 0:35 2nd Ullman (Howe, Orr) 8:23 3rd
Penalties	Stemkowski 14:10 1st Walton 14:42 3rd	Howell 17:54 1st Howe 3:53 2nd Howe 14:42 3rd
Win/Loss	W - Al Smith	L - Glenn Hall

Shots on Goal

Toronto	9	18	14	41
All-Stars	19	11	10	40

• Referee: Bill Friday
• Linesmen: Brent Casselman, Pat Shetler
• MVP: Bruce Gamble, Toronto Maple Leafs
• Attendance: 15,753

See also

• 1967–68 NHL season